Research on Intentional Behavior of Chinese College Students Using Running Sports Applications (FCR) Based on UTAUT

Background and Aim: This study addresses the research gap in the mandatory use of campus sports running applications by college students in southern China. It provides reference for the design and configuration of course tools to enhance the Flashing Campus Operation Application (FCR) in the future. FCR is a mobile application that college students in Zhejiang Province must use to meet their physical education course requirements. It helps educators monitor students' exercise behavior data. However, the analysis of students' perceived intentions and behaviors towards FCR usage is insufficient. Further research is needed to understand the experiences related to FCR and continuously improve its effectiveness. Materials and Methods: A model was developed based on UTAUT2 as the core theory and combined with previous research frameworks. An online survey was conducted using Tencent's questionnaire tool, collecting data from 350 first-year to fourth-year undergraduate students from three universities in southern Zhejiang Province, China. Under mandatory situations, they use flashing campus applications to complete school sports running courses. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling are used for hypothesis testing in data analysis. Results: (1) Perceived ease of use (PEOU) and performance expectations (PE) have no significant positive impact on behavioral intention. The facilitating conditions (FC) have no significant positive effect on continuous use behavior (CUB). (2) Perceived usefulness (PU), perceived enjoyment (PJ), and autonomous motivation (AM) have a significant positive impact on behavioral intention (BI) and continuous use behavior (CUB). (3) In addition, the perceived ease of use and performance expectations of using FCR in a mandatory situation did not have a significant mediating effect on continuous use behavior through behavioral intention. Perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and autonomous motivation have a significant mediating effect on continuous use behavior through behavioral intention. Conclusion: The research results support hypotheses Ha2, Ha3, Ha5, and Ha7, while hypotheses Ha1, Ha4, and Ha6 are not supported. The research results can be summarized into three aspects: (1) Perceived usefulness, perceived, and autonomous motivation are important factors affecting students' intention to use FCR behavior; It has indirectly had a significant impact on sustained usage behavior. (2) Perceived usability and performance expectations have no significant impact on students' behavioral intentions, and they cannot indirectly affect continuous usage behavior. This indicates that in mandatory situations, perceived ease of use and performance expectations may not be the main factors significantly influencing behavioral intentions. (3) Facilitating conditions are not an important factor affecting sustained usage behavior. This indicates that in a specific context, organizational support and resource availability are not the primary factors influencing sustained usage behavior, or their impact may be overshadowed by other factors.